Worthless
by Nikki515
Summary: "Sticks and stones will break my bones will never hurt me." Liar. Words hurt, just as much as physical violence does. Uzumaki Naruto is the number one witness to it, and he is slowly cracking to the point of breaking. And Sasuke watches as the blond deters away, while of course being the cause of the boy's pain.
1. Chapter 1

**Nikki: I have been working on this for a while. It just wouldn't get out of my head and I felt the urge to put it up. This is just something to work on when I have time or when I have trouble writing my other works, so don't expect the quickest updates.**

**Disclaimer: Dear Santa. All I want for Christmas is to own Naruto. Love & Hate, Nikki.**

_~Prologue~_

"_Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  
_**Liar. **

Whoever the hell came up with that quote apparently didn't live in our time. They seemingly never experienced the pain of being called a name in the 21st century. That person didn't realize the impact a word or two could have on a child. They probably had never been bullied using words.

They apparently never saw the cold, dead blue orbs of someone who had been hurt by words. They apparently had never over viewed the life of someone like Uzumaki Naruto.

**[*.*.*.*]**

The scene opens with a room in the Uchiha House. The sun shines on a boy with hair black as night and lips red as blood. He still lays in bed, though he woke up hours ago.

It is seven o' clock now and before his alarm can ring, the boy slams his hand down on the off button. His clothes remain on the nightstand from when he had nothing better to do last night.

Moving like a zombie, he collects his uniform and throws it on. No need for a shower, he took one at three this morning. How much dirt can collect on your skin in four hours?

A white button down shirt, black dress pants and white sneakers. It was routine and it was boring.

That is until he got to school… when he enters that building most hated, it is an all new ball game.

Bright blond radiance… Blue as far as you can see…

No he wasn't talking about the sky or the sun.

Uzumaki Naruto, a lithe boy who, when provoked, shone as bright as the sun. His temper flared and, to the raven bored with life, he was the ticket to an adventurous life.

The only thing that, that life cost was the blonds' happiness… And everything always comes with a price. It was an easy gain at the hands of Sasuke Uchiha. It was worth everything he put the blond through, just to see that confident boy break.

But he needed to get to school first.

The raven walked out of his bedroom. There was no sign of his brother. He walked down the hall. His father was nowhere to be found either. Down the stairs and to the kitchen: his mother made no appearance.

There was only one explanation. Mother and father had left for work and Itachi most likely wanted to stay out of the younger's presence, lest he caught the failure of the other.

He scoured the kitchen for something edible, but it seems Mikoto didn't have the time to shop this weekend. That is if she even came home. The lone boy reluctantly gave up and just walked out the door and locked it behind him.

_Home, sweet home, right?_

**[*.*.*.*]**

Naruto Uzumaki walked through his house, well, apartment. He wanted to stay at his house for longer. He wanted to avoid going to school today. Sixth grade wasn't easy, and it never would be. He had to go though, if Iruka found out he skipped… He'd rather not think of the consequences.

A bowl of cereal for breakfast and he would be out the door. Then he would stroll over to that building less than a mile away and face his imminent doom until two o' clock.

Perhaps Sasuke and his friends would leave more bruises and cuts. Maybe scar his mind with the scent, and texture of his own torn flesh and flowing blood. Sakura and Gaara would probably have to drag him home. Iruka might be concerned if he passed out and returned late. Maybe start interrogating him for answers. He can only lie and avoid the questions for so long.

Maybe his bullies would leave him alone for once. Maybe they had a change of heart and would individually apologize. Perhaps ranting would allow them to give up and walk away. He might even find the courage to fight against them and not just sit there and take everything they threw at him.

Or maybe none of those things would happen today. Maybe it would be like every other day. Maybe the usual routine would occur and he would do nothing but get his ass handed to him. Maybe today would be like all the others; maybe it would follow the routine of every other.

_Maybe, just maybe._

**[*.*.*.*]**

**~School~**

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!"Eleven year old Naruto yelledat the three boys edging towards him. Azure eyes sparkled with confidence.

_Entering sixth grade with blond hair, blue eyes and six whisker-like scars won't make you most liked person. Naruto knew that he wasn't liked. He knew the pain of not being wanted by anyone. He knew it all; he just pretended not to care._

"Sticks and stones, freak? That is all you can come up? Pathetic!" Eleven year old Sasuke Uchiha snarled.

_Being a prodigy in everything makes you vain and you start to think no one could ever be better than you. Seeming perfect at school though doesn't mean that all is perfect at home. Living in the shadow of an older brother as wonderful and ingenious as Itachi Uchiha makes you thrive off admiration of others. You want that admiration from everyone, especially since you can't get your feel at home. _

"You little punk, you are as stupid as everyone thinks you are." Kiba Inuzuka teased with a malicious tone instead of his usual playful one.

_Being a dog lover forced to part from his dog is never easy… even if you take on sports to fill the empty void left by your forgotten dog. Having controlling, sports lovers as parents paired with a jock for a sister won't make you feel special. Not to mention, not being athletic enough to satisfy the wants of your coach, fans, teammates and relatives. _

"You are so troublesome for everyone. Haven't you realized that no one wants you? It is obvious why your parents gave you away." Shikamaru Nara threw his two cents in as the blond boy slowly started to back away.

_Having an IQ of 200 means you grow up with people having high expectations for everything you do. When you aren't good enough to meet those expectations, you let those people down making you seem less intelligent._

"My parents did want me. You just don't understand! You don't even know what you're talking about!" Naruto cried hysterically, wanting to convince himself that he was wanted at some point. "They just couldn't afford a child so they had no choice but to give me away. They just… They just…" The boy looked through his head for answers, for an excuse.

"They just what? Didn't love you? Didn't want you? Yes Naruto, we all see that they didn't love you. You are just too stupid to realize and admit it." Sasuke paused from his pity rant and turned violent. "You know what? At the end of the day you're just a little, worthless, pathetic waste of space. You will always be the orphan boy, even if someone is unfortunate enough to adopt you." Sasuke began moving closer to Naruto with very word.

_All three bullies had one thing in common: destructive homes where they weren't loved. That one thing is what brought them together. _

"Get him guys."

Naruto backed away from the three in front of him only to hit the wall behind him. He watched in terror as Kiba first took a swing at his face. The prey ducked reflexively only to have his nose met with a blue-clad covered knee.

Naruto screeched as he felt warm blood pour from his nose. He heard chuckling from above. Another fist connected with his jaw as he crouched in pain. Foot met ankle and the helpless blond considered a fall to the floor… but he was determined to stand throughout the whole ordeal.

It was but thirty minutes later that the battered boy had no choice but to collapse to the ground. His drying blood just beneath his nose, at some times new blood pooling on top. His lip was busted open. He couldn't talk with the way his lips were swollen. It wasn't just because of the hits they landed but also from biting on them to contain the sounds of agony in his body. He was sure his ankle was broken or something of the sort; the three having kicked it repeatedly only to step on it as they left. The whole area around his ankle was swollen and he couldn't move it without yelping in pain.

It was pathetic when you think about it. If you saw him on the way back to the house he loved, he would seem like a lost soul.

_Because he was._

**[*.*.*.*]**

"Oh my God. What happened to you Naruto?" Iruka Umino whispered as said child limped over the threshold into their apartment. His foster child had come home an hour late, with a bruised and mangled body. His orange shirt was spotted with thick, deep red liquid. He could only hope it was strawberry Kool-Aid that he had spilt it on himself during lunch, though the chances of that were very low.

Naruto waddled his way to the first chair he laid his eyes on. He plopped down only to hiss in pain as a few of his wounds reopened. Despite the overwhelming pain in his body he smiled warmly at his caretaker and asked for the first aid kit.

The teacher gaped at his foster son for a few seconds before what the younger asked registered and he went in search of the small kit somewhere in the bathroom. The brunet found the kit beneath the sink and hastily snatched it up and ran back to his son waiting in the kitchen.

He handed the preteen the box with the red cross printed on it and remained silent as the child opened it and removed gauze, disinfectant, rubbing alcohol and a myriad of different sized bandages and set them on the table.

i "Naruto, is there something I should know about? You've been coming home like this a lot lately. Who has been doing this to you?... Have you been getting into fights with other boys ar school?"

"It's nothing Iruka, really. I'm just a klutz, is all. I fall all the time; have been for years. This is all just part of the routine. Don't worry about it, okay?" The blond smiled, and Iruka watched as the blond carefully focused all his attention to his left foot. From where he was standing it looked swollen, bruised… vexatious.

The younger male cautiously discarded his sneakers to the carpeted floor and examined his damaged ankle. It didn't look bad enough to be shattered or fractured but those possibilities couldn't be ruled out just by appearance. For all he knew it could be sprained or he could have torn a tendon from walking on it while it was broken.

Naruto recoiled from the hands that reached for his foot with gauze in its hands. Iruka advanced and forced himself to help the adolescent that winced with every movement. Iruka knelt down in front of the eleven year old and positioned his ample hands on the bony knees of the younger.

"Naruto, when we fix you up can we have a talk?" The addressed male acknowledged his guardian with a nod of his head and stared as his elder wrapped his foot in a tight binding. He went around his ankle over the toes of his foot and behind the heel until he felt it was secure enough.

The apartment was embedded in silence as Iruka was centralized on Naruto's wounds and bruises. Iruka rubbed alcohol and disinfectant into each and every cut. He soothingly massaged every black and blue that littered the olive skin.

_It was serenity, but it wouldn't last long. There was no time to be peaceful in this cruel world. There was no time to step out and do something against the agenda, no time to do anything that didn't follow the norm. Because, of course, life was just a routine everyone needed to follow._

**Nikki: Yeah, I know. Lots of depressing stuff located here. Bullying. The status quo of life. Sorry, if you hated it or wanted something different, this is how I want this to remain. I added a lot of new parts from my original plot start of the story, and I hope it made it better- and more fun- to read.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Nikki: It doesn't seem that the chapter came out so I'm going to just put it up even though it worked for me at first and then it failed. It just pisses me off that this is happening.**

_It wasn't supposed to end like this. I wasn't supposed to fall for this boy, this kid one year my junior. I wasn't supposed to crash into the ground because of this little blond. _

_I never wanted to have to deal with him. I never wanted to be left with him, for he was useless to me. He was a burden to everyone at school and at his home, but I never thought that he would have become a burden that I kept willingly. _

_I never thought that I would be in the hospital deeply concerned about ___ _(1). _But I haven't even introduced myself. _

_My name is Ichiro Suzuki. I am a second year and I am in hopeless love with someone who doesn't even know what I look like. (2)_

"What are you doing Sasuke?" The Uchiha was honestly surprised but shoved the emotion away from his face.

"It's nothing just some random crap." Sasuke pushed the notebook beneath his social studies textbook and stared at the only two who ever dared to speak to him out of class and school-related partnerships. "So what do you guys want?"

"Troublesome girls are bothering us about you." Shikamaru yawned, while leaning on his elbows and putting his head in his left hand.

"Yeah! By the way both Sakura and Ino will be asking you out either today in math or tomorrow in gym." Kiba looked obviously frustrated. Pubescent boys in middle school only think about girls- not having one by his side every second of the day was dawning on the young Inuzuka's mind.

Sasuke scoffed, overlooking the jealous boy's expression, "Stop acting like I'm stealing your girlfriend, Inuzuka. It's not even like you could get a girl.'

"Bastard! I can get a girl, if I tried to!"

"Hn."  
"Anyone see Uzumaki today?" Shikamaru interrupted their quarrel.

**{*.*.*.*] ~A Few Hours Earlier~**

"Iruka, I have to go to school today!" Naruto hobbled his way from his room to the den, pleading.

"Naruto get back to your room and what did I say about walking on your foot?!" Iruka fumed with his hands on his hips.

"But-"

"No buts. Get your butt back into your room."

"But I have to go to school. What about my education? I'm barely an average student! I need school,"

"You did not say that last week when you had those stomach pains."  
"Fine." Naruto huffed and exited the room feeling dejected and defeated.

"I'll come see you later on my lunch break. I have to go to work. I'll bring by your school work."

**{*.*.*.*}**

Sasuke watched on as a young man with brown hair and a thin long scar across his nose walked into his last period class.

"Um, excuse me. I'm here to pick up Naruto Uzumaki's class work; I hope you do not mind my interrupting your class." Said man looked like he had some sort of office job with the suit and professional dress.

"Hello I'm Hatake Kakashi. I take it you are Umino Iruka, Naruto's foster father."

Sasuke watched the scene intently making sure to try and focus on the words as much as possible. The two adults spoke in the far right corner of the room closest to the door. They were talking between themselves without a cared in the world- that is before Kakashi turned to the class and asked, "Who is finished with the assignment and would like to escort Umino-san to Uzumaki's locker?"

Sasuke smirked and raised his hand high and with confidence that no one would dare stop him from 'helping' this student's parents get to this kid's locker. Technically he wasn't done just yet, but no one needed to know that little bit of information. "I'm finished Kakashi and I would love to go."

Kakashi looked around the class of adolescents and searched for another volunteer- anyone-, seeing none exhaled deeply and nodded, "Go and take your stuff, school is ending anyway soon."

Sasuke hastily grabbed his textbooks and binder and followed Iruka from the room. Iruka smiled genuinely at Sasuke and thanked him for coming to his rescue. Sasuke could only wonder if Naruto have inherited his smile from Iruka, or Iruka from Naruto.

"It's a pleasure to help you. Naruto is a _good friend._" Sasuke lied through his teeth with a charming smile to the adult next to him.

"I'm really glad Naruto has friends at school. He never tells me anything about school. I must admit, I was getting very worried about him. Thank you for being so good to him."

"You're welcome… Can I ask a question? Why was Naruto absent today? He's never absent." Sasuke just wanted to make sure his own assumptions were correct. The thought of Naruto being in enough pain to ensure he was bedridden and had to stay home was exciting. He felt no guilt or remorse for his actions. He was almost proud of what he had reduced the blond boy too. But he couldn't share that with the blonde's guardian. He would keep that information to himself.

"Oh, _that_. Yeah, he came home so bruised and beat up. HE says he fell but you do not get a cut going diagonal across your chest from falling while walking down the street. Naruto is a klutz, I would know, but this is not the effect of simply tripping over one's feet and crashing to the ground. And his ankle," He intakes a large gulp of air as if reliving a horrific tragedy, seeing as Naruto was his kid, this _was_ a tragedy. "His ankle was so mangled, I think it's broken but he insists it is fine. Your bone should not stick out prominently like his does now." Sasuke grimaced as he imagined the image while Iruka rambled on, "And he still fought with him about going to school! He said 'they' would be mad if he didn't. Who in the world are 'they'? In my opinion, I think he is getting bullied. It has happened everyday for the past week. And there are these two kids he has known forever, Sakura and Gaara, I haven't seen them either." Iruka trailed off from his rant as he finished and they as they stopped in front of the locker.

"Here's the locker, the combination is left 65, right 29 and right

11. I didn't know the do- I mean- Naruto had friends besides me and the others. He never hangs out them at all at school."

"To be honest I didn't know Naruto new you either. He only talks about Sakura and Gaara, but it's almost like they've disappeared from the face of the Earth. Do you mind if I ask you for a favor?" Sasuke nodded slowly pondering about the dobe, "Do you think you can watch Naruto after school? I feel guilty asking you this but I don't trust my son enough to stay off his foot. I mean, wouldn't be surprised that if when I got there he is sprawled on the floor crying in pain." Iruka smiled at Sasuke and hope shone in his eyes like a star in the night sky. Sasuke pictured his victim on the floor like his elder had said and had to crush the smirk that threatened to rise onto his face.

"I would love to go, Umino-san. I bet my other friends would love to go too, if that's okay."

"Of course it is! Naruto would love that!"

"I'll go ask my parents and see if my other friends can go."

"Okay you can meet me in the parking lot, after you inform your parents." Iruka smiled and Sasuke returned the gesture with a fake grin of his own.

Sasuke wouldn't be calling his home tonight though. There was no point, they wouldn't even realize that he was gone until he actually returned home. He waited approximately after Iruka left to keep up the image, then left the building texting Shikamaru and Kiba.

"_Naruto's guardian is an idiot He invited us over to the dobe's house. I'll tell you how it went later." _

**Nikki: Wow. I kept you guys waiting a whole month for something short like this. I wanted it to get out it today so sorry about the shortness. So how about some reviews for my hard work on getting this all typed up today? **

**1) Yeah, Sasuke is writing this story and hasn't really decided a name for his main character yet. **

**2) This whole section in italics is actually a sneak preview of my next project _Sightless. _If you want to read it, it will probably be up tomorrow or Friday. To read the actual preview here just change the blank name with NARUTO UZUMAKI and Ichiro Suzuki, with SASUKE UCHIHA. That is all.**


	3. Chapter 3

Worthless chap 3

**Nikki: Have I ever told you that I love all of you? No? Well I do. I really do. Sorry that I'm a horrible person and kept you waiting but I am going to give you the best news ever. The reason that I have taken so long for this is because I was typing up a lot of the other chapters! Except this one. But that means I have a basic outline of what is going to happen in later chapters! So BOO YAH!  
Disclaimer: well considering that none of you really know who I am; I am going to take this time to say: I AM KISHIMOTO! I OWN NARUTO! OBITO FOR PREZ!**

The drive to the apartment Iruka shared with Sasuke was long and full of Iruka's ramblings. But Sasuke would later have to admit that it was all worth it to see his victim in his natural habitat.

"Naruto! I'm home!" The tanned man yelled and Sasuke just stood around as the voice echoed throughout the moderate sized apartment. He kicked off his sneakers and shouldered his bag more comfortably before following the adult into the kitchen.

"Thanks for inviting me Iruka, again. I really appreciate it." Sasuke piled on the charm and Iruka seemed to believe that he was the sweetest child on the planet.

"You're welcome Sasuke. I'm just glad that Naruto has friends like you." Iruka smiled at the youngest Uchiha and put a kettle on the stove to make some tea. "Where is that boy? Uh, Sasuke can you get Naruto for me? His room is all the way on the right. If you can't find him, check the fire escape. He likes to sulk there."

Sasuke stood up from his seat at the kitchen table and went in search of the other boy. He walked down the hall and noticed the barren walls. _'Well, obviously the dobe doesn't have his baby photos hanging up. He probably doesn't even have any.' _The raven thought briefly before shrugging and continuing down the hall. He stopped in front of the door that was painted a bright yellow with an orange sun in the middle of it. It practically screamed the dobe's name.

He took the bronze knob in his hand and swiftly pushed the door open. The room was a frog covered tragedy. The room was painted in a flurry of greens, yellows and oranges. And the two large paned windows in the corner of the room was open and let plenty of sunlight in which didn't deter the light any. It was the mirror image of what he expected it to be; it just screamed Naruto down to the very core.

Sasuke quickly took in the room. It even smelled of the dobe. He would have been sickened by it if this had been anyone else but he just couldn't find the scent of vanilla and roasted almonds in this place stomach churning. And it disappointed him greatly that he found the smell actually fitting for the younger. The trespasser considered the absence of the blond and approached the large windows that had a small stool in front of it. He bypassed the step and looked through the pane and a smirk stretched across his face when he saw a tan boy sitting on the ladder of the fire escape.

The boy hadn't noticed him yet since he was facing the other way. Sasuke was sure that if the blond did see him he would be wide eyed and tense, instead of laughing and smiling like he was now. Sasuke registered the fact that the younger boy had a phone pressed to his ear and was picking at his clothes almost nervously. His eyes held mirth and enchantment and his cheeks were stretched widely across his face in a giant grin. When he laughed his mouth unfurled and let out a melodious sound.

And Sasuke hated the sound. Sasuke hated that look on his face. How could the boy still manage to be happy and carefree when he was bullied every day? Had they not done their job? Didn't his life suck and wasn't it so very full of infelicity? Naruto was supposed to be miserable! He was supposed to hate the world! He was supposed to be upset and spend all day locked in his room by himself! He was not meant to laugh and giggle and seem to have crushes on other kids! He was already an orphan dammit! He should have been woeful without his help!

So why was he so damn cheerful!? And why couldn't he hear their fucking conversation from the fucking window!? Sasuke swung one leg over gracefully and went onto the platform soundlessly. He crept closer to the adolescent and heard the blonde's exuberant voice.

"God, guys! I miss you! When are you coming back!?" There was a reply form the other side of the phone but the snooper could't hear it. The answer ignited a loud sigh from Naruto and he turned his head away, like he wouldn't meet the eye of the person he was talking to.

"Iruka is getting suspicious. He** knows **I'm getting bullied. He **knows** I'm lying every single day to him. Without you guys I doubt I would have kept it a secret for this long. I don't know what I'd do."

Sasuke would have done **anything ** to hear what the other recipient had to say. But alas he couldn't keep Iruka waiting. So he went and bopped the giggling boy on the head once and said, "Hey orphan. Your guardian wants to see you." He didn't expect such a reaction.

He screamed. A loud blood curdling scream that made you wonder what kind of torture this child was being submitted to. Naruto wailed his throat dry.

And it was because of Sasuke and his moronic notions. His obsession with seeing the blond in pain. His desire to see those pretty blue eyes dull, or fill with tears. And his scream just made him want the blonde's pain ever more.  
"What are you doing here? How do you know where I live? Please go home!" Naruto was ignored as Sasuke took the phone from the ledge where it was tossed and put it to his ear.

"Naruto has other matters to attend to. He'll call you... Eventually." The smirk plastered across his pale face tightened even more.

"What do you think you are doing?! Where's Iru-"

"Shut up. You're so annoying. Just shut the fuck up dumbass."  
Naruto was up and back into his room before Sasuke could even think to stop him.

"'Ruka! 'Ruka! Why is he in our house?! Why did you let him in our house?" The childish nickname he created for his parent came out when he ran into the kitchen. The boy clung to his guardian's shirt with pleading eyes looking up at him.

IIt couldn't be true! His tormentor couldn't have been brought into his safe haven by his dad! It could have been anyone! Anyone but the person he loved most! Anyone but the person who was required to love him! Anyone but Iruka! It just couldn't have been true.

"Calm down Naruto. Are you talking about Sasuke? He's such a sweet boy. Don't cha think? I invited him here! He helped me get your homework and agreed to keep you company while I'm at work." Naruto wanted to cry. Be with Sasuke ALONE for another 5 hours? "I'm on lunch right now, ya know? And the hell do you think you're doing?" Naruto changed his facial expression to confusion while Iruka dragged him to a chair on the dining room table. "Stay off your damn foot Naruto!"

"Wow that looks bad." And lo and behold Sasuke shows up speaking with sympathy but Naruto could hear the smirk in his tone.

The boy's ankle was not any better from this morning. If anything it was worse. The skin had gone from a light blue to a morbid purple. Naruto winced when Iruka pushed the top of his foot straight. It must have been killing him to walk more than he was letting on. If it was because of the raven standing in the doorway or if it was just the way the injured adolescent was, there was no telling of it.

"Its fine." He pulled his pants leg down to cover the bruising. Iruka tried to get one last glimpse of the swollen foot; one last shot to help his injured charge. He looked up at Sasuke, azure meeting clashing with black from across the room. "It's fine Iruka. Nothing hurts anymore."

Sasuke wanted to growl. Apparently his efforts to break the blond and achieve his own happiness wasn't enough.

He would have to step up his game now.


	4. Chapter 4

"Well boys! It is about time that I leave and get back to work. Ebisu is running me into the ground with all the stuff he leaves me to do." Iruka yelled out while putting his loafers on.

The twelve year olds waved from their spots at the table as the adult jogged out the door. When the sound of the door clicking shut and locking echoed the two males turned to each other.

Azure eyes clashed with obsidian and an deathly aura filled the kitchen/dining room.

"Why are you here? Don't you think school hours are enough?" Naruto snarled out, oddly standing up for himself. It was straight from his worst nightmares. His enemies coming to his home and managing to destroy all he built up there too.

"Oh? You think that the beating I gave you was enough to satisfy me for two whole days?" Sasuke- ever so slowly- edged up from his seat to where the other teen sat. Naruto stood clumsily when he saw the raven smirk haughtily and pushed his chair in between them; trying to create some more distance. "I don't think you understand. That wasn't enough. It will never be enough." He stepped closer and his victim took a step back.

It was a game of cat and mouse. The mouse would instigate the chase and the cat would catch him when he least expected him to. The mouse would fall into the cat's trap and his world would crumble so fast. The blue in the mouse's eyes would dull; his voice would be hoarse from his agonized cries. And the cat would watch with blood-lusting yet satisfied eyes; his sleek black coat stuck to his skin and stained red. And when the mouse's guardian came back to a on the verge of death younger mouse, it would be too late. It was simple.

"You sure are stupid aren't you?" Sasuke's dark orbs widened for a splits second then narrowed into slits. How dare this nimrod call him stupid?! "You have realized that if I get harmed you'll be the one they suspect most. You are the only person who has been left to care for me all day. And if you aren't caught, you'll wish you were. If Gaara gets his hands on you, you're dead."

The older teen, snickered to himself. The other thought that he could get caught! He even had the nerve to say his 'buddy' would be able to hurt him! He was an UCHIHA! He couldn't be bothered with this kind of shit. And if Gaara just laid a finger him, he would be hauled off to a juvenile detention. He was unstoppable! He could be mistaken for God! And that wasn't conceit it was the truth! He- nor his family- could be touched by unworthy peasants below him! It was impractical! It was foolery to think of such a thing!  
"In there lies the solution dobe. I cannot be hurt! It doesn't matter if I'm caught. A one or two day suspension won't stop me from coming back to kick your ass." He sounded psychotic and obsessed with the little blond in front of him.

Who was he even trying to kid? He WAS obsessed. Nothing was better than the blond's pain to him. It was perfect! His agony, his misery, his screams, his worst nightmares! They were all his fault! And he loved that! The knowledge that he was at fault for every tear the man shed and every cold sweat that he broke out into at night. It was blissful! It put him into deep, peaceful dreams. It gave him peace of mind.

And he was supposed to give the little one mercy and go back to restless fits of sleep? He was being told to be nice and let go of his blond? He was supposed to live without seeing dull, dazed eyes focused on him at school? He would never hear the shouts and whimpers of terror and pain that he had rarely heard before? And how did they expect him to do that?  
They expected him, Sasuke Uchiha the most popular boy at school, to give up his own happiness for Naruto Uzumaki, the school dumbass and orphan?  
Who had come up with this moronic idea?

"Why can't you bother some other kid? Bullies are supposed to prey on nerds! And I haven't even done anything to you either! Why must you bother me?" Sasuke's musing come to an end by the desperate voice from the petite in front of him.

"You haven't done anything? You were born, and that is enough in and of itself. You shouldn't have been born. You aren't worthy of being here. So I am just trying to atone for your sins by making you miserable. You shouldn't be smiling nor laughing. It isnt fair to those who are wonderful and worthy to feel bad because of your living. Don't you think?" He didn't wait for- nor did he receive- an answer. "I, personally, think Iruka suffers the most. I mean, having to adopt someone like you. He must be dying inside. To wake up and see YOU everyday-"He was cut off by the irate and desperate blond screaming.

"You're lying! Iruka loves me! He adopted me because he loved me! He wants me as his son! You know nothing about me and Iruka!"

Sasuke laughed hysterically. "Dobe. He adopted you because he felt BAD for you. He pitied that you lived in foster care and decided that you would do better with him. So he took you under his wing." He laughs again. "Did you actually believe he LOVED you? How stupid can you be?"

The blond was crouched in the corner of the kitchen now. His bangs were covering his eyes slightly. Sasuke could still see the blue hidden beneath bright yellow. If you could still classify it as blue, because they were dull. And broken. And they had lost the shine that made them unique and beautiful. They could have been the most monotone blue-gray eyes in the world.

But Sasuke loved them this way. They were much prettier this way. So much prettier. And he wanted them to stay that way. He wanted them to remain miserable and null and devoid of the happiness they once held. They were so pretty this way, so so pretty.

He found himself reaching out to touch the slate blue eyes that showed him the traumatized soul beneath them.

"You know those eyes of yours are beautiful. Not fit for someone of your kind." He pulled the bangs out of the little one's face and watched as those pretty eyes widened considerably. "So pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty." The way he spoke went from being entranced to cold in matter of seconds.

Sasuke pulled his hand back and pummeled Naruto's cheek in suddenly. His pale knuckles smashed into the youth's slightly chubby flesh.

Sasuke sucked in a breath at the eyes that suddenly wielded tears. They had reverted back to their original form. "See Dobe. Now you look as you deserve to look. Hideous. Ugly. Whichever you feel is best. I made you into how everyone sees you. No need to thank me, your tears are enough. Now I'm leaving. I have stuff to do. Thank Iruka for inviting me." He smirked before taking his leave.

[*.*.*.*]

The blond on the floor curled into himself. He reached up to touch the soon to be bruise on his face. He winced at the pain that seemed to radiate through his body.

"It hurts. Everything is hurting."  
He remembered all the words he had been called. Faggot. Bastard. Orphan. Fucker. Shit. Whore. Cocksucker. They all reverted back to him thinking of Sasuke.

His main tormentor. The boy who claimed he was God the Almighty. The teen who couldn't handle his being alive. The kid who made him wonder why he was put on this Earth. The person who made him contemplate DYING. The one who had destroyed everything he had before he even had it. The one who kicked him into the dirt and broke his legs before he could stand again. The one who smiled at his screeches of agony and sneered at his childish laughter. Sasuke, who practically adored seeing him groveling on the floor at his feet.

The one who made him feel like the most worthless person to ever live.

[*.*.*.*]

Uchiha Sasuke walked through the front door of his house. The house was moderate sized, and on the far side of the town. It was just the average home, with the exception of the loneliness that surrounds it.

"I'm home. Not that anyone else is." He whispered bitterly.

The raven was lonely. He wished someone, even his older, was home. But that was nevr true. No one in his family could ever take the time to check on each other. You had to survive on your own and couldn't expect a shoulder to cry on.

But don't think he picked on Naruto because of his hate for his family. He didn't even HATE his family. He loved them dearly but he wished that one of them would come see how he was doing. See that he needed help because he did need help.

And that's where Naruto came in. He wasn't anyone that anyone cared about so if he was killed from the inside out, few would notice. So he was Sasuke's ticket to happiness. If someone noticed Sasuke's bullying was actually a cry of help maybe someone would inform his parents.

But few cared about what he did to the petite blond. No one tried to stop him. Shikamaru and Kiba even joined in on the fun. No one told his parents. He stopped caring about when everything became less of getting his parents' acknowledgment and just wanting to cause the other boy pain.

And then he came obsessed with the screams that became his own personal lullaby, the tears that dripped from scarred cheeks.

He became obsessed with everything concerning Naruto Uzumaki.

* * *

**Nikki: I don't know why I'm torturing Naruto like this! I love him! He's my baby! Anyway I hope you guys can forgive Sasuke for everything he's done so far. Or- just based off of your reviews- you want to come with me to raid his home in the WORLD!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Nikki: I know y'all want the SasuNaru loving, but, alas, you have to wait. I know, I know. I want it to happen too. But Sasuke is at the peak of his obsession and I can't just change Sasuke's character like that. Please be patient with me, I'm being patient with myself too. And on popular demand by you readers (even though I didn't ask) I bring you GAARA!**

**You guys like really hate Sasuke don't you? I mean like, Sasuke has been getting some serious threats through the reviews. I'm feeling kind of guilty that I made you guys all hate Sasuke so much. But I love that I made you guys feel that. I'm very conflicted.**

**[*.*.*.*]**

"Iruka for the last time! I'm fine! You are being a pain asking all these questions! I just fell for Pete's sake! A small bruise like this is nothing to worry about it!" Naruto slammed the front door of his house and ran away to his school.

Thank God he had school! He didn't know if he could stand to see his guardian worry over him like he had all night. Checking every wound, interrogating him for answers. And having to lie and create some excuse Iruka didn't believe anyway. It killed him slowly.

He would tell Iruka but it was better if he didn't know. His adopted son getting bullied at school because he was orphaned and adopted? The guilt would rack up in his heart until he couldn't bear it anymore. He shouldn't know. The kind hearted worrywart wouldn't be able to take it. He would just have to wait until to all blew over or Sasuke found a new plaything.

He slowed down from his run to walk at a leisurely pace. But his heroes would return soon. The trip to an art museum in Osaka would end tomorrow and then Gaara would be coming back home. And Sakura would be back on her feet from her tonsillectomy soon. Then he would be back to the routine of getting hurt and having his two best friends patch him up and Iruka would be clueless to what was occurring at school. And everything would go back to how it was before his two friends took their absences from his life.

But he couldn't even blame his friends for leaving him so unexpectedly and forcing him to deal with Iruka alone. Sakura was to get this surgery sooner or later, she couldn't control it. And it _was _Naruto's persistence that encouraged Gaara to sign up for the art museum trip. He couldn't bar his friends from living their lives and pursuing the activities they could do. He couldn't stop them from being the marine biologist and sculptor that they wanted to be. Just because he was being bullied and was too stubborn to ask for help from adults didn't mean they were obligated to treat his every wound like he was a child. He couldn't expect them to be by his side every day. Gaara wouldn't be there to fight off the people who threw rocks at him forever, or to hold his hand when Sakura put peroxide into his gravel encrusted scratches. Sakura wouldn't be able to stand in front of the school gates and watch as Gaara and he limped after Sasuke knocked him down. It wasn't fair to them that they had to even do this now. To expect it until high school was an even larger burden to put on them.

He was going to have to face this all by himself eventually. _And that scared him more than he cared to admit._

**[*.*.*.*]**

When Naruto got to school he was early. _Extremely early. _It was early enough that few students were there, but late enough that some teachers had started to show up. In his rush to avoid Iruka he had completely disregarded his rule of never being at school early. For being such an idiot to forget previous experiences with being early, he was met with three pairs of hungry eyes.

And they weren't hungry for the food in the cafeteria. Nor were they hungry for him in a kind of 'I love you' way. And they certainly weren't hungry for him in the vampire 'I'm going to suck your blood' way. Well sort of- they wanted his blood, but not to drink it. They wanted to spill it. They wanted to punch him until he was leaking blood from every available pore in his body. They hungered for his blood to stain the floor of every room in the school.

"Hey! It's the freak!" Naruto inwardly winced at Kiba's voice and he could only bother to back away from the three slightly. It never ceased to amaze him the amount of times he found himself in this situation. He sighed and stared at them, seeming fine with what was about to happen.

He didn't care when they practically dragged him down the halls. He didn't wince when they fisted their hands into his knotted hair and pull him up when he didn't bother to stand. He didn't make a peep when they elbowed him on his spine. He _did _look up when an animalistic growl tore from a spectator who had most likely caught them though.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing to him?" The words were spat in a low malicious voice. Naruto's eyes widened when he realized whose voice that was exactly. He whimpered and curled in on himself, trying to hide his pathetic body from his best friend.

"And who the fuck are you?" Sasuke wasn't intimidated by the kid standing right across the field from them. There was always one person trying to be a hero, and he almost scoffed at this one.

"I'm Gaara. And I'd like it for you to release Naruto before I break your arms." The boy's face was impassive and stoic, but his eyes sparkled with a promise of death. Whereas Kiba and Shikamaru backed away from the lithe body on the ground, Sasuke just wound his fist even more into liquid gold locks.

Gaara's jade eyes hardened even more and a tight frown marred his lips. Sasuke smirked when _Gaara_ looked pained by the sound that emitted from the blonde's mouth. "And what If I don't feel like letting go? What if I want to keep Naruto like this? What will you do if I just pulled my fist back and pelted him in the face right now? There is nothing you can obviously gain from helping this loser right here." Sasuke pulled Naruto's face up to look at Gaara, in which Naruto just closed his eyes to hide. "He's worthless. You can stop being the hero and go to class now."

"I don't think you understand Uchiha. That kid you have there is my friend and I suggest that you let him go before I really get mad." Gaara's eyes thinned into slits when Sasuke didn't exactly comply with his demand. Instead the Uchiha plastered his face with that infuriating smirk of his and lifted Naruto's face from the gravel only to let it go and have it smack loudly against the concrete.

"Oops." Sasuke smirk didn't falter once before he stood and sauntered in the direction of his homeroom.

Gaara watched him for a minute before he turned his attention to the boy trying to sit up. He sighed softly and crossed over to the younger male in three strides. He steadied the blond against the school's rear wall.

"Gaara." He sounded so small- so pitiful. It sickened him down to his stomach. The redhead that hovered over him locked eyes with him. He was sent a look that told him to shut up. He ignored it. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Osaka?"

"Sasuke snatching the phone from your hands and talking to me and Sakura on the phone isn't something I want to hear Naruto! You scared the shit out of me. And don't even get me started on Sakura! She had a little short of a heart attack." Naruto grimaced at the thought of Sakura- Sakura who just had surgery and was still recovering worried over him. He felt so absolutely stupid for worrying his friends over nothing.

"That doesn't explain why you're doing here. I could have handled that myself. You can't protect me from bullies forever. One day you're going to get really hurt, when you pick a fight with the wrong person." The blond leaned his head on the wall behind him, and gazed at the sky. There was silence between the two before Gaara abruptly stood and offered his hand to Naruto.

Said blond clenched the outstretched hand and grunted when his muscles protested. His vision swam in front of his eyes and he stumbled before quickly regaining his balance.

"We're going to stay at my house today. We just have to get your homework and backpack before we leave." They made their way through the halls that were quickly filling with children. They stopped in front of a room that read 2-C on the plaque. The blond was motioned to wait while he went inside to get the missing work.

There was shuffling from the teacher and Gaara held the packet of paper under his arm. He was graciously given the work for the next two days just in case. They repeated this process for Naruto's five other classes and stopped by the male's locker and got the hoodie that was kept in there and his backpack. They continued to the redhead's home without much interruption.

But that could only last so long.

**Nikki: Wow this is a late chapter. It's like 1: 48 here in New York. I was going to put this up at 11, but I got caught up in Gaara. *swoons* You guys understand that right? Anyway, mellow chapter. Tell me what you think. 'Night!**


	6. Chapter 6

Worthless chap. 6

**Nikki: Do you guys realize how demanding you are? I mean, I bring you Gaara and you guys demand "Clash of the Titans" between him and Sasuke! And then you want Sakura to be thrown in! I have to change my whole plan for the story because I added them in too early! But if it makes you happy *sigh* I guess I have to do it.**

**You know, I was reading this story over the weekend and I realized something. I don't actually remember typing half of this up. I was going over chapter 3 and was just like, "Damn Sasuke you have some serious possession issues." I mean, I wrote that he wanted to hit Naruto because of how he smelled. Like legit? Damn I'm screwed up.**

* * *

Gaara's house was warm and- despite what some people thought- full of life. Music flowed from every corner of every room. Every room was painted a different color but oddly it all seemed to fit. It had this comforting cozy feel to it that made you just want to never leave, even if you overstayed your welcome. It made you wonder how Gaara was so impassive and stoic in an atmosphere like that.

"Gaara?" A young woman's voice rang through the house from the kitchen. The voice was strict, nothing like a mother's lull. Gaara's sister- his guardian- was nothing like a mother. Temari didn't even begin to compare to a mom.

"I'm in the living room with Naruto. Bring the medicine kit would ya?" There was a loud sigh that resonated from the kitchen and then footsteps fading deeper into the house.

Naruto plopped onto the couch. He had kicked his shoes off at the door careful to avoid the bruising on his ankle. His socks were pulled high over the injured area but light discoloration peeked through from behind the white material. He'd been hurt many times by Sasuke and his cronies but usually they vanished from thin air a couple of days later. To do something

As damaging as this, that wouldn't go away, Gaara would have a cow. And a horse, pig and elephant while he was at it.

"Who was it this time? Inuzuka? Nara? Or Uchiha?" Temari's voice rang through the room as she handed the aid kit to her younger brother. Neither boy answered her inquisition and came to assume what she assumed best. It was all three that had ganged up on her sibling's friend.

They easily fell into the pattern of past days. Naruto's wounds were cleansed and patched up, He yelped when a cotton swab coated in cleaning alcohol was pushed and ran into his deeper wounds. Gaara slapped- quite literally- Band-Aids on his scrapes. The blond was expected to hold bags of ice on any noticeable bruise to help ease the swelling.

But though the routine they were following was similar, something was off that day. Naruto was known for being rambunctious, but today he did not utter a word. Gaara was especially quiet today, even though he always spoke around his blond hair friend and his dear sister couldn't determine why for the life of her.

"What happened?" Not a word was said. "Will someone tell me what's going on between you two before I knock your heads in?" The dirty blond woman was aggravated. She just wanted to know why she had to cut through the tension with a machete!

"We'll be in my room." What had happened wasn't something that could be discussed in front of Temari. So the two boys fled from the room and up the stairs, past the restroom, and Gaara's siblings' rooms. They finally reached a door made of oak wood that stood further form every other bedroom in the two story house.

"You need to do something Naruto." Gaara had never been one to hold his opinions back. He'd rather they heard everything the moment he thought it, even if it practically meant he seemed cruel.

Naruto focused on the crimson walls before he nodded and sighed in exasperation, "I know."

But he didn't know. He didn't know what was so horrifying about keeping it from most people. He didn't realize that he had begun going to extreme measures to keep it from his guardian. His self-esteem was suffering from it all. He had started hiding his golden locks in baseball caps and hats. He started poking his eye lids hating his bright eyes. And just recently he had begun to wonder if he was worthy enough to be saved by anyone.

Yet those things were nothing compared to what else he'd been thinking. He was beginning to believe what was being told to him by his tormentor's were true. He doubted that he was wanted by anyone. Sasuke's reasoning on why he was even adopted was so sensible. And surely that could not mean that he knew he had to start defending himself.

* * *

Around the same time as the conversation occurring in the youngest Sabaku's room, Temari was contemplating something that had been nagging at her conscience for a while. In a moment of rash decision she picked up the landline in the kitchen. She dialed the number she had called on many occasions to plan sleepovers and outings with. The one who she knew could help her in any situation with raising two boys on her own.

"Hey Iruka… Can you spare a minute? It's about Naruto…"

* * *

"Sasuke!" The youngest Uchiha grimaced noticeably when he heard his name being called through his house. He slinked his way through the halls of his father's house. His parents rarely gave him the time of day, except when he wasn't up to par with his brother. Or they needed him to settle some dispute between them and Itachi wasn't around to do it.

This wasn't one of those moments. This was one of the less expected shockers.

"You're to come with us to meet with Minato Namikaze and his family this weekend. He could be a very beneficial business partner if he likes us. Your brother is coming too."

Fugaku- Sasuke's father- passed a picture to his youngest son. A blond man- who couldn't be a day over 27- was smiling gently at the camera with his arm wrapped around a red head who was grinning madly.

**A grin he knew all too well that was well adapted onto a little blond blob he loved to torture.**

* * *

**Nikki: This is one of the shortest chapters I've ever done. It was needed though. Do I see some plot there? Well do I? *quirks eyebrows* Things about to go down! For Naruto that is…**


	7. Chapter 7

Worthless chap. 7

**Nikki: *pouts*I got a really small response from the last chapter, I was really sad. Did you not like the curveball I threw you? You all thought Kushina and Minato were dead didn't you? *laughs evilly* I tricked you all! … Ahem, well anyway, hope you like this chapter.**

**[*.*.*.*]**

Naruto and Gaara never returned to school that day. They stayed in the comfort of the Sabaku house until the time all the other students were dismissed.

"I'll be fine Gaara. I can get home by myself. See you Monday!" the enthusiastic blond exclaimed jogging down the street while laughing.

His redheaded friend just sighed and gazed down where the blond had taken off to. When his friend was long gone he shut the door and headed to the kitchen. No need for himself to starve because of his concern for the shorter male.

**[*.*.*.*]**

"Iruka! I'm home." The blond was greeted by a frowning guardian. Iruka was seated on the couch in the living further buried in the apartment. Iruka looked at his son with calculating eyes. Naruto tilted his head at his guardian when the usual welcome home was not heard. "Iruka? Is there something wrong?"

The brown haired 26 years old waved the blond over. Cautiously Naruto walked over and when his adoptive father patted his lap, he climbed on. Sitting on Iruka's left knee with his chubby legs spread across the man's opposite knee was nothing new. They were often found watching TV like this when Naruto was eight and desperate for affection and love form Iruka.

By this display of affection the eleven year old was positive he had done something. "Iruka, I'm sorry about running off this morning. I was just grumpy; some kids are getting under my skin."

He revealed just enough info to answer any questions but not enough to arise any more. When had he become so good at lying? When had he learned exactly what to say and how to say it so everything seemed okay It broke his own heart to admit that it has been far too long since he had spoken the truth.

The blond turned so he could see face to face with Iruka. Naruto smiled widely, always visibly brighter when with his day. Though Iruka did grin in return, it didn't meet his eyes. He was awfully quiet too. It frightened his charge to see his guardian like this.

Iruka licked his lips and swallowed nervously. He hugged the boy in his lap. This boy, his little boy, went through so much at school and yet he still managed to greet him with a smile every day. He found it astounding. And he couldn't believe how easily the blond can lie to everyone. If it hurt others to see him sad- which it did- he would put on a brave face and happy façade to make their pain go away. And rarely did people, including him, ever notice the young boy's heart was falling apart.

"Naruto why didn't you tell me?" The voice was quiet, scared almost.

"Tell you what?" Naruto feigned innocence. He could only hope this wasn't about what he thought it was.

"I got a call from Temari," the brown eyed male hugged his son just a little tighter. "I wish we could have gone through this together Naruto. I wish you would have let me help you instead of going to others." His light eyes were downcast as he spoke.

"What did she tell you?"

"You have been being bullied for months. Gaara, Sakura and Temari have been helping you cover it all up with lies." Naruto couldn't help but wonder what would possess Temari to tell the one person they had been so determined to keep this from. "I'm not mad that you lied to me. You had your reasons from what I gathered from Temari. I just can't help be upset that you couldn't have come to me. If you had told me we could have moved. You could have better friends at a different school in the Shibuya District. You had; I would have protected you from everything."

"'Ruka it's not like he meant to this to me. He just has problems. It's his way of coping."

Iruka's eyes widened then narrowed. Did his little boy just defend that incompetent raven haired demon? He couldn't believe what was coming out of this one's mouth. It horrified him.

"Naruto, I am going to talk to Sasuke's parents next Friday. I called them already and they agreed. They are already having guests over so they would appreciate it if we wore something appropriate. I'm just giving you a heads up because this is serious."

"Iruka I just told you, it's fine. We don't have to talk to anyone."

Naruto's azure eyes were pleading with his daddy to understand. He didn't want to meet the monsters who created the boy who brought him to hell and back. He'd rather suffer the way he had since the beginning of the school year.

"Naruto this is not something to joke about. We are going to talk to Sasuke and his parents. You guys are going to be friends eventually. This has to stop and it **will stop.**" Iruka had never regarded Naruto with such malice. To hear such words coming out of this gentle giant's mouth was astonishing. He was so calm about everything. He knew how to deal with every type of situation. To see him worry so much about his well-being struck a chord in his heart.

Too bad he was convinced that there was no way that anyone could love him. There was simply nothing that was appealing about him that anyone could admire. He was ugly. His blond hair was too bright and took too much attention from everyone around him. His blue eyes were the color of the sky but they could never obtain that amount of beauty. He was below average in everything.

So he couldn't be adored, loved, by anyone. It just wasn't possible. It wasn't possible to be loved.

**Nikki: This is just a filler. It was bothering me, I had to get it out. See you later!**


	8. Chapter 8

_"'Ruka-chan!" Seven year old Naruto Uzumaki screeched as he jumped into the arms of his favorite visitor._

_23 year old Iruka Umino wrapped his own arms around the petite blond. "Hey Naru. How are you today? Are they treating you fine at the orphanage?"_

_The boy settled down on the floor with a large grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. Gaa-chan came to visit me today with Tema-chan."_

_"Oh? Did you have fun?"_

_"Of course, of course!" The boys smile fell through his mask, "'Ruka-chan? When will I be able to go home with you like Gaa-chan went home with Tema-chan?"_

_Iruka smiled reassuringly and ruffled the sun-kissed locks. "I don't know for sure, but the minute you turn eight I'll try to take you home with me. That okay with you?"_

_Blue eyes gleamed with happy tears and he nodded enthusiastically. Though in the back of his mind he couldn't help but take note how far his eighth birthday was from then._

**[*.*.*.*]**

Naruto was waiting for the storm. The week had flown by in a flash and before Naruto knew it, it was Friday. He was dressed in a pair of khakis and a blue button-down that Iruka bought him the night before. It was the most formal articles of clothing the eleven year old owned.

"Naruto? Are you ready yet?" Iruka called the boy's name from his spot in the doorway of the apartment.

"Iruka I look stupid." The boy pouted and ballooned out the back of his tucked in shirt. "As if Sasuke didn't have enough dirt on me, then we go and add this. Just more salt to the wound, just more salt."

"You look adorable, Naruto. No one can resist that face." He pinches the blonde's scarred cheeks. "Now hurry up and get in the car. We're going to be late… and don't mention that child in the house."

**[*.*.*.*]**

"Oh, you must be Sasuke! Your mother talks so much about you. My, the last time I saw you, you were three months old. You sure have gotten big." A blond man (Minato, _Sasuke assumed)_ said when Sasuke opened the door to the Uchiha household on Friday night.

His wife- Kushina- grimaced at the mention of their last visit with the Uchihas as if it was a nightmare or it brought back horrifying memories. Minato was oblivious to the discomfort of his wife, but the almost-thirteen year old Sasuke noticed indefinitely.

Mikoto- Sasuke's mother- rushed into the entranceway before Sasuke could speak to his guests and she engulfed her friends. "It's so good to see you again. Fugaku and I haven't seen or spoken to you in forever! This has been long overdue." She holds them at arm length for a second to check their well-being before releasing them completely.

She then turns to her son and sighs. Sasuke saw the regret in her eyes. For what? He didn't know, but it was still there just swimming in her beautiful and cold irises.

"Why are you still wearing that Sasuke?" The raven peered down through his eyelashes at the jeans he ripped when trying to 'tag' Naruto with a soccer ball during gym one day and a shirt with a bleach stain in it. His mother's lips turned up in disgust at his choice in clothing. "I thought I told you to change before anyone got here. Go change before your friend and his parents arrive."

"But Mother, _Naruto _isn't even my friend." Sasuke emphasized the name, his gaze locked on the blonde's probable parents to capture any reaction from the two. Which he did; Minato and Kushina paled and subtly turned to look at each other. "His _adoptive father_ is coming to discuss with you the issues between his son and me." Another discreet hint directed at his parent's guests.

"Just go and change please." Mikoto sighed and turned back to her old friends. Sasuke smirked that all knowing smirk that infuriated everyone who met it. "Naruto is like the cutest kid ever. He is definitely on the quiet side though, but he has the biggest blue eyes I've ever seen. And his blond hair is certainly something any teenage girl would die for… He actually reminds me of you, Minato sometimes. Don't know why Sasuke has to pick on the kid though."

Sasuke heard the words his mother spoke to her friends and he quickly raced up the stairs. He felt so humiliated. His parents knew he was killing Naruto and _just never bothered _to stop him. He had never told them, how could he? But they knew anyway, and it churned his stomach painfully.

He'd almost _killed _a kid numerous times for his parents' attention. How many times had he considered murder for their sake? How many times had his hands itched to wrap around the slender tan and disgustingly delicious neck of his blond? When in truth everything he had done was in vain, because they just never bothered to care enough to stop him.

It sickened him. He felt the hairs at the nape of his neck stand and his palms became moist and sticky. He was going to vomit, he really was.

The youngest Uchiha rushed to the bathroom down the hall from his room and emptied his stomach thoroughly into the porcelain bowl. _Nothing perturbs them; not even the attempted murder of a classmate, _Sasuke thought with a slight dry heave before flushing his lunch down the drain and brushing his teeth.

"Sasuke! Your friend is here!" He heard his mother yell from downstairs.

"I'll be down I have to finish getting ready."

**[*.*.*.*] (with Naruto, downstairs)**

The longer he sat in the presence of the Namikaze and Uchiha families the more uncomfortable Naruto felt. He was sitting on a plush leather couch in the living room with Iruka by his side and talking leisurely with Sasuke's father and mother. He was supposed to be waiting for Sasuke to finish getting ready, so then could talk over dinner but he didn't want to. He just wanted to go home and lie in bed until Monday came and Sasuke and Kiba and Shikamaru beat him into a bloody pulp. At least then, things would seem like they went back to normal.

But honestly, could everything go back to normalcy after this meeting? It just didn't seem possible after meeting Fugaku, Mikoto, Minato and Kushina of their respective families.

Gazing at the graceful movements of the Namikaze and Uchiha women and listening to the beautiful baritone voices of the men sitting before him, Naruto felt inferior. He could never pick up a teacup with such delicate precision nor would be able to speak about the augmentation of the economy using such fancy vocabulary- nonetheless in a voice such as theirs.

With some fascination and disappointment, the petite blond noticed how his rival was the spitting image of his graceful, baritone and stoic parents.

"Sasuke can just never be on time. I swear that boy will be the death of me," Mikoto laughs when she realizes the blue orbs of an eleven year old are focused on her. She clears her throat forcibly and turns her head toward the stairs. "Naruto? Would you be a dear and fetch Sasuke for me? These old bones can't keep up with him anymore."

Naruto nods and darts up the mahogany stairs that have never seen better days than now. He can't help but hear his guardian's conversation from the top of the stairs.

"Oh, Mikoto, you are too modest. You don't look a day over 29." Iruka said, acting quite friendly to the parents of the kid who tried to kill his 'Naru-chan'.

"You are such a gentleman, Iruka! No wonder Naruto is such a sweet kid? And I bet his mother is a cutie too." Mikoto nudged the brown haired man's shoulder with her elbow playfully. The room went quiet when the 26 year old didn't respond and instead tensed and then fidgeted awkwardly while attempting to answer.

"Naruto doesn't have a mother." He looked down at his hands where an old habit of fumbling with his thumbs makes itself known. "I'm not even his father technically; I adopted him just three years ago after knowing him since he was six."

The sounds of angry footsteps met their ears next. He hated when people regarded him with pity. He didn't need it! He had gotten farther without any guardianship than any of the other kids in the orphanage! He was capable of doing everything he wanted, with or without help. Didn't his progress prove that? Did it prove anything?

He turned the corner when his body met a dead end in the house. He ran down each corridor with ferocity and sadness clawing at his insides. They were licking a flame in him, threatening him to release all his pain and suffering on them and prove how well he could do without everyone by killing them all.

"What are you doing up here, dobe?" Naruto paled and stopped before he crossed the threshold of the other's room. He shuddered at the voice he _should_ have been terrified of. He about-faced quickly and winced at the sight of Sasuke. The other was the color of death, pale and sickly; his eyes were bloodshot and his clothes and hair was rumpled. Overall, he was a train wreck. And Naruto felt like he was responsible, when deep down he knew it had nothing to do with him.

"Are you okay? You don't look so well."

"I'm fine, dobe. Now why are you up here? Did my mother tell you, you could come up here? You aren't allowed in my room."

"Sasuke, I don't think you are okay. Maybe you should sit down." He knew he was entering the lion's den but there was no way the other boy was fine.

"Get out of my room, dobe!" The blond is shoved out the door by the taller brute.

"Teme! I didn't do anything to you. I was just worried, stop acting like a bastard." He once again entered the room. He just wanted to help; he hadn't known it would end like **this.**

"I told you to 'get out of my room' you dumb-ass!" The closest object to Sasuke's hand was picked up and chucked at the blonde's head.

**The crash and scream resounded throughout the house. **

The metal photo frame fell to the floor. The corner that had collided with the azure eyed boy's head was bloody…

Naruto let out another very girly shriek and clutched the right side of his face. That had hurt, a lot. _It hurt worse than anything that had ever come in contact with his flesh. _The gash in the side of his head was bleeding. It was dripping from between his fingers.

Someone was trying to calm him down. He let out quiet whimpers and loud shrieks when the pain became too much. And it really hurt. It hurt!

"What did you do to him?!" Someone was screaming angrily. The orphan would bet his life it was Iruka.

"I didn't mean to! I swear! He just wouldn't leave me alone. I told him to leave me alone…" Sasuke. Sasuke sounded desperate. It really wasn't his fault. Sasuke shouldn't get blamed for something that wasn't his fault. Nothing was ever Sasuke's fault. Everything that ever happened was because of him. Because he decided he wanted to live, because he hadn't **died **as a baby.

Naruto clutched his wound tighter and opened his left eye. Tears dripped from beneath his eyelids and he looked up at the youngest Uchiha. The acrid water stung the cut that was right beneath his eyelid. He thanked God that the frame hadn't hit his eye. That would have been so painful he'd pass out.

He then turned to see Kushina and Mikoto behind him. The former was rubbing his back in smooth circles like he supposed a mother would, and the latter was trying to get him to let go of his face. Minato was beside his wife looking at him with concern written in his features. Fugaku was beside his son- who was being yelled at- trying to make peace with the injured boy's father.

Ignoring the throbbing in his face, Naruto released his head. Mikoto immediately jumped to patch the cut up. She winced at the sheer amount of blood on the boy's face. Kushina continued to comfort him- well, she tried.

"Don't yell at him," Naruto's voice was hoarse. His screams hadn't helped him much. "It was my fault. I provoked him. Don't yell at him, please. It was an accident. He told me to leave; I didn't. I should've listened, it was my fault."

Everyone stared at him in shock. He must have been somewhat crazy to have thought Sasuke's outburst was his fault.

Iruka knelt down in front of his son beside Mikoto. He took the bloody cloth from the woman Uchiha and began tending to the wound.

"You're such a handful Naru-chan." The brunet smiled lightly at his charge and taped gauze to the boy's face.

"Sorry!" The smaller grinned and turned to the others around him. "Sorry Sasuke for everything! Can we still be close?"

Sasuke smiled his sickeningly fake smile and nodded. "Of course _Naru-chan." _(The boy must have been somewhat just had to...)

He hadn't meant it of course. And neither had the other boy. This was all just a front to get their parents thinking they were best friends. Well, _Sasuke_ didn't want to be friends. He couldn't say that for his victim anymore though. Naruto was just so good at pulling up a façade before anyone could see the real him. He honestly couldn't tell if he was driving the other into a corner and forcing him to say those things… or if the other really felt that way. Sasuke had always taken pride in knowing Naruto better than anyone (he had to or he never would have made it this far) but now he was wondering if he was just being played this whole time.

"Okay, let's go have a wonderful dinner. Now that Naruto and Sasuke have made up it should be a quiet evening."

Sasuke couldn't help but snort. "Quiet my behind. With the dobe, everything should be eardrum splitting. "

"Sasuke, that is rude. Apologize." Mikoto chided, when had Sasuke started to act like this. In front of guests no less.

"Oh, Mikoto-san it's okay. It's true I can be really loud even if I don't mean to."

Mikoto noticed that the blond was fairly defensive of Sasuke. Why, she didn't know. But she was determined to find out. There was just no way that the youngest blond could feel so strongly for the kid who made his life a living hell.

She could even remember when she saw firsthand what her smallest child was capable of. The littlest raven was sitting there by himself with a small blond bundle underneath him. The blond was obviously in pain. She was roughly fifty feet from them and she could see that. Her son had the most disgusting look on his face. The blond was bleeding profusely from his nose and lips. He could have been made of glass; he looked so fragile lying there on the pavement of the courtyard. And her son was _smiling. _He was grinning as the blonde's lips formed words-pleas- and large tears rolled down his scarred cheeks and her son just kneeled down in front of the other and smiled and laughed—

"Mikoto? Are you okay?" Kushina asked, concern forming frown lines in her young face.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Why couldn't she stop him? Why couldn't she have stopped her son before he did something to really harm that kid? Why couldn't she go over to him that first day of his bullying and keep him from hurting Naruto any further? Why couldn't she do _anything? _

Oh God, why was she so _weak?_

**Nikki: Hey guys! *dodges bullets and missiles* I guess I deserved that. Anyhow! How is everyone? I decided to see how many words I could type in one sitting at my computer. And this was the result1 so yes I deserve some praise! Especially after all the short excuses for chapters that I give you! And don't worry! Sasuke gets his comeuppance in the next chapter or two!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Nikki: Heyguys! Log time no see! I have state tests in New York next week so wish me luck! Anyway, hre is the long awaited chapter 9!**

_A golden tuft of hair stuck out from a blue blanket. The small bundle was cradled gently between two tan arms. A large finger stroked the newborn's soft cheek, where a small defect had left three ragged scars on each._

_"Open your eyes, Cutie. Look at daddy..." Minato cooed, rocking the infant back and forth._

_Kushina was lying in the private room's bed, looking haggard and sweaty. She was deathly pale and her hospital gown was hanging off one shoulder. The doctors told him she was just tired having been in labor for almost 18 hours but, glancing at his usually energetic girlfriend, he didn't believe them._

_Naruto was their little bundle of joy. He was brought into this world on October 10 at 3.56 in the afternoon. He looked like his father, but seeing how the second he was woken he screeched he was the spitting image of his mother. _

_"What are you going to do with him?" Minato's best friend Fugaku inquired, entering the room. _

_He looked at the boy in his friend's arms and felt the other tense. Naruto started to stir and whine. Minato looked terrified but for what reason he didn't know. Whether from his son's abrupt awakening or his inquisition, you couldn't tell. _

_"Shush, Naruto. Daddy's here, daddy's right here..." He rocked his son again, but it just resulted in Naruto to burst into tears. Minato started to worry and turned to his best friend, "Fugaku you have kids! What do I do?"_

_Fugaku sighed and took the baby boy from Minato's arms._

_"You either let them cry it out or find out what's wrong. Your life is going to be consumed by this stuff now. Wasn't the wisest decision to get Kushina pregnant at eighteen now was it? I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but if you keep him everything will be different in your life."_

_The new father expected Fugaku to help him out, not lecture him. What was the point of friends then? He knew that getting Kushina knocked up after dating for two years wasn't the smartest decision, but what was he supposed to do now?_

_It was too late though. The baby was here, wrapped tightly and snuggling into his chest having calmed down. The newborn was so small and he needed everything to be given to him. Minato couldn't just give him away! How could Fugaku even think about something like that? He loved his son! Loved him so much it hurt to be separated from him for more than a couple minutes. He couldn't bear the thought of never seeing his little boy again, and Kushina wouldn't allow it either._

…

_But honestly? They couldn't care for their little boy. Fugaku was turning 28 this year, he had much more experience. Fugaku had a job and a working wife; he could handle raising a family. Fugaku had gone to university and had worked his way up a financial and law firm. He was successful at everything he did and he was loved._

_Minato on the other hand was just entering university. He was only eighteen, not even close to being considered an adult in society yet. Kushina and he had meager part-time jobs that barely paid their apartment's bills. The blond was naive and stupid to think they were capable of raising this wonderful creature in his arms. _

_"Excuse me? Can I see the baby Minato-san?" Six year old Itachi asked, putting his arms up in a "gimme, gimme" gesture._

_Minato looked at his best friend's eldest son and nodded gingerly, brushing away his thoughts. The boy rushed to the bathroom connected to the hospital room and washed his hands, before nearly tripping over his own two feet on his way back. He sat down in the chair and waited patiently for the baby to be placed in his slightly chubby arms. _

_"Be careful, okay? You know how to hold him. Cradle his head and support his back?" Itachi nodded enthusiastically and held his arms out. The baby was put into the six year olds arms and rocked gently._

_"Minato-san? Your baby is cuter than Sasuke. Sasuke cries too much. He's annoying." _

_"Itachi. He's sleeping; of course he'll be quiet."_

_"I don't think Sasuke sleeps. He's loud all night and I never get any sleep." Itachi glanced up at the two and smirked. "Can we trade? You'll like Sasuke better than Naruto. I promise." Itachi said this all with a blank stare. He seemed set on trading his little brother for another. _

_Minato chuckled, before patting the little one's head. The seriousness in the raven's eyes was truly adorable. He took his child back from Fugaku's eldest, and settled him in the bassinet provided by the hospital. He stroked his son's cheek before turning to the raven again._

_"I don't know Itachi. In a few weeks, Naruto is going to be annoying. He'll be crying all night and, if he's anything like Kushina, he'll be VERY colicky. You sure you want to deal with that?"_

_Itachi nose scrunched up in distaste, before his features set into a scowl directed at the infant. "No."_

_Itachi looked at the baby bundle once more and left to make room for more guests. His mother did tell him not to bother the new parents too much; he didn't want to cause any trouble._

Minato leaned against the wall blue orbs fixed on Naruto. He addressed Fugaku without looking at him.

_"What do I do? I love him too much to give him up. I don't think I'll be able to let him go when the time comes." He ran his nimble fingers through his blond locks._

_"You have to think about if the child would be better in your hands, or in the hands of another. Ask yourself, Minato: can you provide the best life for this child? If you think you can, by all means keep the child. But if you can't… give him to a family who can." Minato's head dropped down to his shoulders. There was only one thing to do. _

_"Kushina and I will have to give him up. As much as I don't want to, we don't have many options." His eyes locked onto the eyes of his son who had finally shown his baby blues. _

_**Just like daddy.**_

**[*.*.*.*]**

Naruto poked at the _green slop_ they called pea soup in this house with his spoon. He couldn't believe people actually ate this stuff.

"Don't you like pea soup, Naruto?" Mikoto smiled shakily; this was _her_ cooking so she couldn't blame this on her chef.

"I just haven't tasted it…" He noticed the look on Mikoto's face and instantly stuttered out, waving his hands frantically, "B-but I bet it tastes delicious." Mikoto nodded and looked to him expectantly, taking a spoonful of her own soup. Naruto gulped and glanced at Sasuke who he sat next to. The young Uchiha smirked and brought his own spoon to his mouth.

"I guess I'll be taking a sip too." Naruto lifted his utensil to his mouth only to release an alarmed squeak. And suddenly everyone's attention was on him, while he just smiled and shoved the spoon in his mouth with a pleased hum.

He tried to ignore the heel digging into his toes; undoubtedly coming from the raven seated next to him. He kept his mouth shut even when the foot on his twisted his little piggy's painfully. He kept quiet since the adults were warily sneaking glances at the two teens.

The foot squashing his suddenly vanished and he stole a look at Sasuke. The boy was acting like nothing was happening under the table. He was talking animatedly with Minato and Iruka. Naruto knew no matter how much Iruka wanted to loathe and detest the littlest Uchiha, he couldn't. The boy had too much charm evident in his body and was so cunning… It had to be something in the water. Naruto groped for his glass, checking it for any unusual things. He swished it around in his cup inconspicuously before taking a gulp and sloshing it along his teeth, gums and tongue. Finally, he swallowed his mouthful. He didn't feel any different though. Maybe you had to drink continuously for your whole life?

The blond was now calm and relaxed, shoveling spoonful after spoonful of that surprisingly tasty pea soup… thing.

He let his guard down. So he deserved what he got from it. He did the wrong thing and was caught; therefore, he had to receive the consequences. He had earned the bruise across his face, the scratch that would most likely scar. But at that moment he deserved the kick the most.

The searing, hot flash of white pain was his punishment. He smiled and looked happy, in the presence of Sasuke. And Sasuke didn't like that. His ankle being kicked was his reminder that he shouldn't be happy.

Mikoto wanted a quiet dinner, didn't she? Well, Naruto sure wouldn't ruin that for her. He couldn't enter someone's house and make their life miserable; it was enough that he was already doing that to Iruka, Gaara, Sakura and _Sasuke. _Mikoto couldn't be a victim of his shameful life.

So he forced all his painful wails down and settled for smiling softly at Minato and Kushina. Kushina was pretty, wasn't she? She had flowing red hair that was like endless silk. Her eyes were warm and kind; he felt secure when looking at them. She even had that air around her, the type of aura that your mother would give off. And Minato looked an awful like him. Too bad he pulled it off much better (being an accomplished person did that to you). His hair was brighter and his eyes shinier. Too bad they were blond _in Japan_; in any other place they would have been considered a beauty. Or was it just Naruto? Was he the only blond in Japan that was considered hideous?

When he voiced this to Minato, the older male just stared at him in shock.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, am I the only ugly blond in Japan? Sasuke says that I'm only pretty when I'm in pain and covered in blood. Are you prettier when drenched in blood, Minato-san? You look really pretty right now too, so why don't I? We look alike right, so why don't I look as good as you?"

The older male once again, was speechless. All of this was coming from a kid. A kid who could have been his for all he knew. Not to mention, the boy was only 12 years old. What kind of world did they live in that defenseless_ babies _had to suffer from stuff like this?

"Naruto, you are a very handsome young man. And I've known Sasuke since he was born. He's just a weird fellow, don't you think?" Minato winked at Naruto, while the younger just glanced at Sasuke in fear. He turned to the other and grinned.

"Sasuke is actually very nice! He lets me be his friend even though I'm a burden! And he says that if I looked Japanese I would be even prettier! And he doesn't hit me nearly as much as he did in the beginning of last year! He's very generous! And everyone likes Sasuke! No one understands Sasuke though, which is why they are so quick to judge him and look at me with pity!"

Minato looked about ready to spontaneously combust. This kid had a mouth! And he was only passionate about the subject of Sasuke; nothing else got him so energetic. Sasuke, who was secretly listening on the conversation, was fuming.

"I understand Sasuke! He's just lonely and wants people to see him as he really. He wants to get in trouble, so he picks on me. But that's okay with me; I'll do anything to make sure he is and stays happy." The prepubescent snapped his jaw closed with a snap when Sasuke slammed his fork down and pushed away from the table. Everyone cut off their sentences and stared at him.

"May Naruto and I be excused? I want to show him the gift Itachi gave me." Mikoto and Fugaku nodded absentmindedly. Their son had never been so polite, but they saw what was hidden underneath. He was furious, he was homicidal and he was dangerous. But saying no to him would only make matters worse.

Sasuke wrenched Naruto from his seat and up the stairwell before anyone could react.

Well, wasn't dinner a nice development?

**[*.*.*.*]**

"Sit down and shut up while I tell you something." Sasuke demanded when they reached his room. Naruto obediently sat down on the corner of the bed and stared up through his eyebrows at Sasuke.

"Did you know my brother is in the army?" Naruto's jaw dropped and hit the floor. "He's risking his damn life for this country, while I'm in school. There is no bigger accomplishment you could do in your lifetime, than be on the frontline during a war. If I went into the army myself in 6 years, no one would care because he did it first. Don't consider yourself special that I'm telling you all this. You aren't a unique snowflake; you are something that I have carved into the perfect being for me." Sasuke chuckled without any humor in it.

"You don't even know the real reason that I want to tear you apart verbally and physically. You wouldn't understand it, because you're an orphan. You don't feel that worthlessness when someone else gets the recognition and praise _you _deserve. Don't act like you know me. You don't. Get the fuck over yourself, we were never friends either. Get it through your thick skull that I just want to make you miserable. I want you to _die_; I want to see your pain. Nothing more, nothing less. You're worthless, I would have killed you sooner but I need you." Sasuke stepped closer to the boy on his bed; he was only a hair's-breadth away.

"You are nothing to me, but an unhealthy obsession. I like how you smell, how you look when bruised and crying. I_ love_ how you plead for me to stop harassing you, when you know I won't." The ebony eyed boy caressed Naruto's chubby cheeks and smiled. "That cut I gave you suits you. You know, I love you when you're like this. You're all wide-eyed and on the verge of tears because you don't know what I'm going to do. You don't know if I'll lean in," His voice dropped to a wisp of the wind. "And kiss those lips until they're bruised. Or if I'll slap you so hard your skin will break and blood will leak."

"And that is just why I love you more than anyone. You're so emotional and don't hide anything." Sasuke bent down to Naruto's ear and whispered into it. "The real question, Naruto, is: **do you love me?"**

_**All Naruto could do was nod his response.**_

**Nikki: And that marks the end of chapter 9! Beware the abusive relationships that shall ensue now! (I said romance, which doesn't necessarily mean a good relationship.) Anyway, be proud! I let them say I love you! And now starts the beginning of a SasuNaru coupling! Hopefully I'll see you sooner than previously! BYE! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Nikki: Yeah, had this typed up for a while, but didn't know where I could fit it in. Well, anyway I got a review saying that the adults are stupid for not doing anything. I'd just like to clear this up, that in my own experience letting an adult know doesn't mean they'll do anything. I was bullied to the point of someone throwing me down the stairs and when I told a teacher and relative, they were aware of it but every time they saw it happen they turned a blind eye. This is similar to what the Uchiha family is doing; they are avoiding the topic so they won't have to deal disciplinary action against Sasuke.**

Gaara brought his fist down to the youngest Uchiha's face, wanting so badly to bruise his perfection.

"Don't touch him!" Gaara pulled his hand away quickly from the proximity of Sasuke's face as if burned. He turned around to face Naruto, who had spoken, before wincing. When had Naruto started looking at Sasuke like that?

The now grey orbs were fixated on Sasuke with worry adorning their depths. One hand was stretched out to the raven as if reaching out to help him.

"Good boy, Naruto. Now come and help me up." The demand was quiet, almost silent.

Despite the lowness of the command, said boy scrambled to help his bully; pulling him up to his feet with obvious difficulty. Sasuke ruffled the twelve year olds now artificial black locks with a smirk on his face. He slowly turned to Gaara.

Sasuke pulled Naruto to his chest (Naruto's back to his chest) and rested his head on the smaller boy's shoulder, "Doesn't he look absolutely yummy like this, Gaara? Grey eyes piercing your soul, his black hair allowing him to fit in with all the other Japanese people. I think he does. I could just kidnap him and eat him up." Sasuke jokingly dug his teeth into the tan column of skin, all the while maintaining eye contact with the red head. Naruto stood still, giggling when Sasuke teasingly nibbled on his neck. "I wonder if Sakura would be jealous if I chose Naruto over her. You know, seeing how both of your friends are awfully obsessed with me."

Gaara gritted his teeth. It was true. Even Sakura had fallen victim to the Uchiha's charm. Gaara himself had wanted to be the raven's friend too, but he knew better. He knew of the monster that was lurking beneath that pale expanse of skin and those flaming black pupils. Naruto just wanted to be loved, and was tricked into believing that Sasuke would provide him that. And Sakura was at that age when she would swoon and fling her panties at any good-looking noble boy who looked at her. He could forgive his friends; they were just vulnerable.

But he could never forgive the snake named Sasuke.

"Gaara?" Teal eyes darted to look at the boy nestled in the raven's arms. His eyes softened and Gaara opened his ears to anything he had to say. "Aren't you happy for me? Sasuke makes me happy; Sasuke loves me!" Gaara flinched at his friend's high-pitched voice.

Sasuke smirked before abruptly letting go of Naruto and pushing him to the floor.

Naruto squeaked as he fell. He dropped to the ground of the playground with a thud. His hands and knees scraped against the gravel and dirt, and they bled and burned. As if in a trance, the blond got up and smiled at his 'love'. He ignored the stinging in his palms in favor of apologizing to his 'boyfriend'.

"Sorry, Sasuke. I forgot that I shouldn't linger too long. Forgive me?"

"Of course, Naruto."

As Sasuke rewrapped his arms around the other's waist and leaned into Naruto, Gaara felt his world tilting. As their lips met, Gaara fell and crashed into a pool of icy cold water.

* * *

"Shit!" Gaara cursed loudly as he woke up. He was drenched in cold sweat. Figures he would have a nightmare like that.

He couldn't help but worry for his best friend. The boy was gullible and no doubt would believe anything Sasuke would say. That was just the way he was.

What he saw was only a dream, a dream that recurred in his mind over and over. It made him shiver just thinking that Naruto would fall for the lies of the devil so easily.

Now that he thought of it… hadn't Iruka mentioned a meeting with the Uchiha family about Sasuke and Naruto's behavior?

"Crap!" Gaara threw his blood red quilt off him and down the stairs to his landline. Gaara was always up at random hours of the day, Temari wouldn't mind his being up at 6.19 in the morning… Well, it depends on if he was quiet enough to give her the slip.

'Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.' His mind chanted the mantra repetitively.

"Hello?" A groggy voice was heard over the phone and Gaara mentally cheered.

"Naruto?"

"Yes, it's Naruto. Gaara why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. How was the trip to the Uchiha mansion?"

Gaara could practically hear the smile on his friend's face. The other boy sucked in a breath before talking very fast, and very incoherently.

"Sasuke told me he loved me! And I said I loved him too. He's my boyfriend! Isn't that great? Iruka hasn't said anything yet, but I wonder how Sakura will react? She hasn't really spoken to him yet. I like Sasuke's mom and dad! They're pretty and sophisticated and they said I'm welcome at their home anytime. You know like the saying "my house is your house!" Or something like that. My main point is that Sasuke loves me for me. He even said that I would much better with black eyes and black hair, do you think I should do that? I think I might, just to make Sasuke happy. I'd do anything to make him stay with me! Are you happy for me, Gaara?"

Gaara pulled the phone away from his ear and could still hear Naruto on the other line. He tried to stop from sucking in rapid-fire breaths. It wasn't a good idea to hyperventilate over the phone with his worrisome best friend listening.

Gaara felt his soul escape his body anyway and he was positive that his heart stopped beating. His worst nightmare had certainly just come true.

Gaara forced him to sound neutral about the situation and said, "That's great Naruto. When will I be able to _officially_ meet your... boyfriend?" The red head pushed the word through his lips. "I only got to see him once, and it wasn't under the best circumstances."

"Um... Well Gaara could we hang out later today? You can meet Sasuke and Sakura could too! We can go to the park and play on the swings, like we used to!" Naruto boomed loudly.

"That's fine Naruto. I'll call Sakura at 10 okay? We can all meet there at 12:30; just remind Uchiha. I won't be waiting for him the whole day."

"Yeah! Okay Gaara I'll call Sasuke and we'll be there at 12:30! See you later!"

Gaara sighed when he heard the click of the phone on the other line. How many times was he going to have to save Naruto's ass before he realized people could not be trusted? Especially Uchihas.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke!" Sasuke turned to his blond 'boyfriend' and grunted. Funny, how things work out. But it wasn't a problem with him; in fact it was a blessing. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...

Did Naruto even count as an enemy though? He was just everything Sasuke wanted to be. Happy... loved... invincible... Was that enough reason for him to hate the other? He guessed so.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and he stared at it. The blond WAS cute but he had been making his life hell for how many years now? He didn't think he could change his motives and life goal so quickly.

Suddenly Sasuke felt eyes on him through his thoughts and he tightened his fist around Naruto's. Why had he even agreed to this? Meeting the dobe's friends, they would probably ruin him. How was the blond to suffer if his friends were still by his side? A support system was the thing that brought people up when someone was trying to break them.

Naruto winced. Sasuke was squeezing his fingers too hard. It hurt. It felt like his fingers were being compressed and forced together. He could tell his fingers and wrist would have bruises the next morning.

He faced _his_ raven and sheepishly smiled. "Uh, Sasuke? Would you mind easing off on your grip a little?"

The Uchiha just stared ahead at his approaching friends. "Does it hurt?" He asked.

"A little. You're squishing my fingers."

The grip lessened a little, but otherwise remained tight and painful.

Naruto ignored the pain in favor greeting his friends. "Hey guys! Long time no see!"

Gaara turned his lips slightly but it fell when his eyes landed on that blemish marring his friend's perfection. "Hello Naruto. _Uchiha." _He mutters the name with a sneer.

"Gaara... How...nice it is to see you again. And who is your pink-haired friend?" Sasuke had always been a curious child, this was no different. Albeit this curiosity was more of an infatuation of wanting to know about everything in Naruto's life. How pathetic of him.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. I'm normally the one who worries when Naruto doesn't come home on time. Sort of his mother figure, if you will." The pink haired girl said with confidence, and Sasuke knew she'd be a difficult one. Though he _had_ thought the same for Naruto, and look how _that_ had turned out.

"Hn. So you're both close with Naruto. Guess we'll be spending _a lot_ of time together; you know, considering how I own him now." Sasuke smirked and he could see Sakura swoon at the sight. Ah, this was quite easy. Too bad he'd have to wait with Sakura seeing as how he had Naruto and whatnot. Such a shame, but wasn't it equally as satisfying to break both of their hearts at the same time?

The heart was the most vulnerable place in the body; emotionally anyway.

"I guess we will be seeing a lot of each other. Better become acquainted with each other more. I'll cut to the chase: what do you want from Naruto?"

Naruto tilted his head to the side innocently. "What do you mean Sakura-chan? Sasuke-_koi _just wants to love me. Right Sasuke?" Naruto sure was gullible. Allowing him to get close enough for pet names. He must have a lot of faith that Sasuke would forever love him.

"Right Naru-koi. I just want to love you, and protect you from monsters." He then pushed the blond away and gave him some yen. "Buy yourself some ice cream, it's hot out today. I'll talk to Sakura and Sabaku, okay?"

The blue eyed boy skipped away merrily with a hum of agreement and the others watched him disappear into the distance. When he was gone the raven looked to his "boyfriend's" friends before 'tsk'ing in annoyance.

"I don't understand why you people keep getting in my way. I'm doing society good by hurting that little blemish. He's a disgrace to the Japanese race! I'm trying to fix that!" Sasuke growled, with coal orbs blazing.

"He doesn't need fixing! He's fine the way he is! If anything you need to be reformed from the head down!" Sakura retorted.

Sasuke sighed in frustration and pressed his index fingers into his temples. "I'll make you a deal. You keep away from him and I won't hurt him TOO badly. The more you linger, the greater the damage."

"No." Gaara finally spoke. Sakura on the other hand was more hesitant.

Should she ignore Sasuke's wishes and risk Naruto being broken much more quickly than originally planned? Or should she leave and save him the pain of Sasuke's wrath? Either way Naruto would end up shattered and then she would have to pick up the pieces and reconstruct him. But to cause him so much pain over a short amount of time, or the same amount in a long period; that was the question.

"No. I won't do that to Naruto. He needs me, us, by his side."

"Suit yourself, you'll come to regret that decision."

After those words were uttered, Naruto was appearing before them and their conversation came to a close.

"I got green tea ice cream, Sasuke-koi. Do you want some?" The blond's mouth was filthy with the treat's delicious residue and, in all of Sasuke's opinion, he looked _adorably _dirty. And just like how the dobe smelled it was tantalizing yet it disgusted him at the same time.

"No, Naru-koi. I'm good. Hurry up and finish. We'll go play in the park right after." A muffled, 'okay' resounded from the petite body next to him and he nodded.

A thought popped into his head when he thought about "playing in the park" with Naruto in whole.

Yeah. Sakura and Gaara would regret not ditching the blond soon enough.

"Come on, Naruto let's go play on the jungle gym." The raven said devilishly enthusiastic while walking away. Naruto nodded and turned to his best friends.

"Save me a swing please guys!" He yelled, running after his beloved Sasuke.

He didn't look back at their grief-stricken and worried faces to ask if they wanted to join them. He just ran, probably to his death.

"Sasuke-koi. Want to go down the swirly slide with me?" He asked, and heard Sasuke sigh.

"No, I don't want to go down a fucking slide. I'm not a child, but lets' go on the monkey bars. Maybe you'll fall and break an arm." Sasuke struggled to keep his temper in check. But he felt somewhat uneasy seeing tears in this kid's eyes.

He couldn't shake why since last night he was constantly feeling guilty. He'd told Naruto he loved him, knowing that was the boy's greatest desire. To be loved by someone who wasn't obligated to. That was probably Naruto's biggest dream, and he had given him a taste of it. And he knew one day he would rip the carpet from underneath Naruto and show him it was all a lie.

"Sasuke are you not feeling well? You're a little moody, and you haven't moved in a while. Do you want to go back to my house and call your parents?"

Sasuke wanted to strangle the little fox. He had the nerve to worry about him! They were bully and victim. They weren't even close. So why did Sasuke have this dull voice in his head that said he was going to regret it all soon?

Eh, too bad. Not like he ever listened to his conscience; I mean, who did?

"Sasuke! I think we should go home. You keep spacing out. I'm going to let Gaara and Sakura know, okay? Don't move; stay right here!" Sasuke ignored him. Sometimes that high-pitched voice grated on his ears, no matter how many other countless times he couldn't bear to _not _hear it.

Suddenly, after analyzing what the dobe had said, Sasuke turned around and grabbed the tan wrist moving from him and yanked it back.

He growled, "And who said you can leave? I don't remember saying that."

Naruto hissed slightly in pain and Sasuke saw those cerulean eyes turn clouded again. Oh, how he loved those eyes like that.

"Sasuke that hurts." Sasuke tightened his hold. "Please – Sasuke- stop. It hurts." Once again, the grip tightened and then the raven tugged slightly. "Ow! Stop Sasuke! It hurts a lot!" Naruto tried to tug his wrist free desperately. Sasuke loved the cries, the tears, the urgency. He loved it all! Oh, he loved it when Naruto got like this.

Finally, he let go. Naruto rubbed at his sore appendage while whimpering quietly. When he himself let go five reddish marks stood out from amongst the rest. They no doubt would bruise and litter his skin with purplish-blue dots for days.

"A little something to remember me by, Naru-koi."And then Sasuke was gone. Like a wisp of the wind. Like he wasn't even there in the first place.

The words certainly didn't hold the same adoration they held _mere minutes_ ago. Now- now they were filled with malice and (though Naruto didn't want to admit it) hatred.

"Sasuke, where did your love go? Where did it go?" Naruto stared down at the black-and-blues on his wrist. He'd do anything to have Sasuke love him like he did last night.

And Sasuke _would _love him again.

Actually, Naruto was quite sure that Sasuke would love him even more. Just because Sasuke had earned his love, did not mean he would stand for this bull.

He wanted someone to truly love him. Sasuke said he did, granted he didn't necessarily believe him. It was fine, he could force the other to love him.

Sasuke would love him, because he was just that determined. All he had to do was act like twiddle dumb and neither Gaara nor Sasuke would suspect a thing.

He would start with a few alterations to his appearance. Nothing too severe yet something people would notice if they looked hard enough.

And he knew just what to start with. Sasuke wanted a perfect Japanese boyfriend, and Naruto could certainly provide for him.

Yes, Sasuke would love him in no time…

**Nikki: So HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Yes, yes. Your dear Nikki is another year closer to death. Virtual cake, plushies and other gifts are deeply welcomed but not mandatory! :) Anyway, I'm going to start putting up deadlines for when I update on my profile. It'll be right at the top, so if you ever want to know just check there! Peace!**

**(You know, sometimes I wonder how such a cheery person like me ever wrote this story. And did you realize the word count has been crawling up the scale, which many of you asked for?)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Nikki: Has anyone noticed the decrease in SasuNaru stories and increase in NaruSasu stories lately? I'm a fan of both, but I lean on the SasuNaru side of things so I'm kind of depressed. And another thing, I'm sorry that the updates have started to slow down more (this one is a day late) but I always have trouble around the ten chapter mark for my stories. But once I hit fifteen or so chapters, they'll speed up more. Honestly I have no clue why… .**

The day after their visit to the park, Naruto quickly changed.

It started with contacts. They were the color of an abyss. And they couldn't even hide the color of his cerulean eyes; they just blended in and made an ugly grayish shade.

"Iruka?" The brunet peeked up from his reading spot to look at the twelve year old in question. Naruto was standing in the doorway, peeking his head in with downcast eyes.

"Hm. Yes Naruto?"

"Um, I know my birthday isn't for four months, but I was wondering if maybe I can get an early gift. I shouldn't be asking for things because you already do so much for me, but-"

"it's fine Naruto." The adult patted the space next to him and the kid jumped into the bed with his guardian. "What do you want? We can go and get it from the store tomorrow."

"I want contacts!" Iruka looked at his charge and sputtered, but the blond didn't even notice. He continued to rant. "I saw these really nice ones. They don't affect your vision. They're just for decoration and I think they would look nice on me. They come in all different colors; green, blue, red, black, grey, brown. I want the black ones though because Sasuke said I would look different with them. I want to surprise him when I go into class on Tuesday!"

He talks some more, but his guardian is stuck in his thoughts. He had to admit it, Sasuke was being nicer to his little boy. He rarely came home with cuts and bruises anymore; and when he did they could be classified as 'accidents'. But he was still wary of the youngest Uchiha. So hearing about what he told his little boy, it brought up many murderous thoughts.

"Naruto, I'll get you the contacts okay?" He said when he was certain the adolescent had finished his rant. "But your blue eyes are so unique; are you sure you want to conceal them behind contacts?"

"Of course Iruka! I want Sasuke to look at my face and acknowledge right away, that something about me changed. Then he'll have to spend the rest of the day trying to figure it out. Genius, ne?"

And then he wanted to throw up. He found he wanted to do that a lot lately. He loathed Sasuke, but he made his son so happy.

"Yeah, genius." He muttered under his breath.

What the fuck was he supposed to do about this?

[*.*.*.*]

They bought the gift the next day after Naruto was out of school and he was let out of work.

"So Naruto which color do you want?" Iruka asked even though he could anticipate the answer.

Either way the blond seemed to think it over. He stood with his hands on his hips staring at the little stand they had displayed with the various shades and colors.

"Uh…I want the black ones!" He pointed to the darkest shade he could find of the depressing color.

Their clerk came to stand beside Iruka and together the adults stared at the child. They were bewildered. This young, _bright_ teen wanted _black_ contacts.

"Um, Naruto-kun? Don't you think you would look better with green, or clear? I think transparent contacts would really allow your eyes to stand out."

Naruto shook his head and stamped his foot determinedly. "I want the black ones! Sasuke says I would look good in black; I don't want anything other than black ones!"

"But what does Sasuke's opinion matter? This is for you, not Sasuke!" Iruka grumbled. Naruto looked as if he was shot, he was so taken aback.

"How can you say that Iruka?! Of course Sasuke's opinion matters! I love him, so I have to change to make him love me back!" Naruto yelled in a 'Duh' tone while flailing his arms around and pacing in circles.

"You love that Uchiha?" Iruka squeaked out. Yeah, he was definitely going to vomit. Naruto nodded enthusiastically and pointed to the contacts.

"Now that it's clear why I need to have the black ones…can I get them?"

Iruka sighed before turning to the clerk; his shock vanished from his face. He shouldn't have been surprised anymore. With the way his son looked at the kid, and talked about him, and never told anyone about what happened to him; he shouldn't have expected it. So many things were happening to his little family these days; he could barely keep up as it was. He even had the frown and worry lines to prove it all.

"He wants the black ones. I'll buy the six month supply." He then muttered under his breath, "Hopefully by then, he'll be through this phase."

"Okay, Umino-san. Let's go to the register and pay , then I can teach Naruto-kun to put the contacts on correctly." The assistant smiled shakily and led them away.

The man rung them up quickly and silently, "That will be 8899 yen, Umino-san." Iruka sighed and gave the man his money before sighing.

"Naruto, go with the man so he can show you how to wear the contact properly." The pubescent child nodded and giddily skipped to the room in the back.

"Okay, Naruto-kun. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly every time you are about to put your contacts in. Also…" The brunet drawled on about procedures and cautions.

[*.*.*.*]

"Sasuke!" A blond blur tackled a raven haired one in the hallway the next day. They hit the tiled floor with a thud and all the kids littering the hall watched curiously.

"Is it just me, or is Uzumaki asking to get his ass beat?"

"He just jumped on Uchiha, is he stupid or does he have a death wish?" A boy asked his peers who surrounded him.

Murmurs filled the school while the pair got up off the ground.

"What the hell are you guys looking at? IS there a problem?" the Uchiha growled out from deep in his throat. The crowd dispersed soon enough after that, leaving the couple alone.

"What do you want dobe?" Sasuke moved his bangs out of his eyes and sauntered towards his homeroom class.

Naruto attached his hand to his wrist and he was pulled back. "Don't you see anything different Sasuke? I did it just for you!"

Sasuke wished he hadn't asked the other to be his boyfriend to get closer to him. The consequences of it certainly outweighed the advantages.

Then Naruto was in his face, standing on his tippy-toes, eyes locked on with his. Those pink plush lips hovered over his (Sasuke swore it was purposely done) and he was staring at them instead of what Naruto wanted him to focus on.

"Now do you see it? Sasuke-koi look! Do you see it?"

"What they hell am I looking for?" His voice trailed off as he locked angry eyes with greyish ones.

Oh. Wasn't that a pleasant surprise? Sasuke felt a smirk creep onto his lips and he felt like Christmas had come early.

"Iruka bought me contacts! I got them last night just for you! Do you like them?"

The raven nodded absentmindedly, smirk still plastered across his face.

"Hm, looks like you finally did something right." Sasuke left Naruto standing in the hallway. He threw a glance over his shoulder at the blond.

Everything was falling into place. Naruto was starting to look and act like the perfect Japanese teen.

It was exactly what he wanted. And all he had to do was deal with his stomach-churning, adorable, blond, intellectually challenged Adonis.

**Nikki: Well, I'm sick. Coughing, sneezing and a fever of 101. Sorry that I didn't update yesterday like I said I would. And just for a heads up, Minato and Kushina will be showing up again soon… And finally, I'm sorry that the word count went down by a lot. I knew it wouldn't last long. So see you next time on: WORTHLESS CHAPTER 11!**


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